Nargles
by eeehsi
Summary: "She didn't believe me, by the way. When I said that they'd end up together. It does bother me a bit because they do not notice." - Luna Lovegood. ONE-SHOT


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. The great J.K. Rowling does. :)

Written for a contest. :)

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><p>A lot of people find me silly. I do know, of course. Father said that sometimes, the whizzing nettlefleas make people blind to some obvious things. That's why I always have a boar's hoof with me. It keeps them away.<p>

Ginny Weasley probably doesn't, though. I could tell. At the beginning of the dance, she had smiled at me. I think she was patronizing me, though. I can't really tell. But I don't blame her. She's one of my good friends, and I know she would never judge me.

Besides, it isn't her fault that the nettlefleas like her so much. I hear it's more attracted to the colors brown and red. And she has got nice, red hair. Now I think I want some red punch. I will probably get myself some.

She didn't believe me, by the way. When I said that_ they_'d end up together. It does bother me a bit because they do not notice. How could they not, when it's probably one of the most evident things in here?

Mmm… I kind of like the punch. I must visit the kitchens later and ask them if they added some powdered Erkling hair. I read that it makes liquid taste very pleasant.

"Luna! Having fun?"

Ginny smiled at me and she took a cup and helped herself to some essence of Erkling. I can tell she's very happy. It probably has something to do with Harry Potter. I've heard that they're quite the couple now. Well, I think they do look good together. And they fought together well too. They're some of the nicest people I've met. I am happy for them.

However, I do wish the same thing for _them_. I scanned the dance floor and saw _her_. _She_ is really pretty.

"Luna?"

I saw Ginny follow my gaze, and her face went blank. It only took a few seconds for her to put it together. She looked at me. She almost looked incredulous.

"Don't tell me you're still on about them?" She is probably trying to stop herself from laughing. How kind of her.

"Not a lot of people can see, you know." I smiled at her.

"Luna, you know I believe you most times, but them…" She really was trying to stop from laughing. That's really nice of her. I do feel offended at times when people laugh at me. But I've grown used to it.

"A lot of people didn't use to believe in nargles."

She bit her lip, and I knew she wanted to say something. I know though. She doesn't believe in _them_ still. That's okay, she's still my friend.

"Anyway, I've to go back. Have some fun and dance, Luna!" She waved goodbye at me. I waved back.

But of course, it's the Hogwarts Yuletide Dance. They just started it this year, really. I guess people find the need to have more reasons to be happy now that You-Know-Who is gone. But I never really understood why people had to dance as a couple. I might as well enjoy myself, then. The dance floor does look very inviting.

People stare at me. They don't know I'm doing this dance so humdingers don't take over my body. That would be quite dreadful. Oh wait, there _she_ is. _She_ really is pretty. I don't blame _him_ for staring at _her_.

She's dancing with Ron Weasley. He's always been a funny man. They look like they're having fun. _He_ isn't, though. I wonder why he's frowning. Or more so, why he's not asking her to dance. It's clear that he wants to. But maybe he doesn't know that, though. People need to bring their boar's hoofs more often. Well, I must tell _him_, musn't I?

I walk over to him. He's sitting alone. I wonder why.

"Hello."

He looks up and seems surprised to see me. Well, we don't really talk. But still, I must help, musn't I?

"Why don't you ask her?"

Draco Malfoy looked taken-aback. Well, does he not know how to have strangers talk to him once in a while? It's just like how wrackspurts can sometimes talk to you when they feel like it.

"What are you talking about, Lovegood?"

"She won't say no, of course." I took a seat beside him. It looked as if he wanted to push me out of it. He didn't. That's civil of him.

"I didn't ask you to sit."

"It's okay, you didn't have to ask me to." I smiled.

"What do you want?"

"To find a real Snorkack, of course. But I can't do anything about it right now."

He frowned at me. He must think I'm sort of loony. That's okay.

"You've been staring at Hermione Granger for quite a while now." I said lightly.

He looked taken-aback, and frowned even more. Oh, he's going to deny it. How sad.

"I wasn't, Lovegood. Now move along."

"She is quite pretty, isnt' she? I guess that's why Ron Weasley is smitten with her."

I noticed that he had gripped the tablecloth. Why, though? He must be feeling a bit jealous.

"Not to mention that she's very smart. Well, she may be all facts and logic, but she is smart. She just has to accept more possibilities of the world."

Draco Malfoy didn't say anything. He was looking at the table. The table... Oh, I do feel hungry now.

"And she's very brave too. Its no wonder Ron Weasley likes her. I suppose he asked her to be with him, you know. They did kiss during the Battle at Hogwarts before."

"Lovegood, no one really cares about the love affairs of the bushy head and the weasel." He sounds very peeved.

"It's too bad she turned him down. I heard her tell Ginny that they were too much like siblings for it to work."

Draco stopped and turned to me. Ooh, I guess he did not know that. I smiled at him and turned to look at the buffet table. I really am quite hungry now.

"She won't say no, of course." I repeated. Now I think I'll have some pudding. I do want the purple one. I think it was made of yams.

I left the table and headed to the buffet. My, the house-elves really do their best, don't they? Oh, there's the purple pudding. It's a pretty color, isn't it? My dad said that purple had been Rowena Ravenclaw's favorite color. It was only because she didn't get a purple gown for her coming-of-age celebration that broke her heart. It has been blue ever since.

Oh! Those are some pretty cream puffs. I've never tasted one with a pink filling before. I guess one won't hurt. I am quite hungry.

"Are those any good?"

I turned around and saw Harry Potter grinning at me, with Ginny beside him. They were holding hands. They do look good together.

"Hello, Harry. It tastes good. Do you want some too, Ginny?"

Harry reached for one but Ginny shook her head. I bit into my cream puff and smiled. It tastes yummy, really.

"Have you danced with anyone yet?"

I shook my head. "I like to dance alone, though."

Ginny frowned and took my hand. "You HAVE to dance, Luna! Why Dean hasn't asked you yet… I will kill him." She muttered. Harry laughed and looked at Ginny fondly. She looked at him and he nodded, and I felt myself being stirred towards the dance floor.

"Where are we going?"

"To find Dean Thomas and give him a piece of my mind."

"Oh! That will be interesting." I helped in her search for Dean, but instead found something else. I held Ginny back, and she looked at me.

I stare at the couple at the far-end of the dance floor. _He_ has always been quite arrogant, hasn't he? It seems like they're arguing.

_She_ frowned at him, and _he_ ran hand through his hair in a frustrated manner. _She_ opened her mouth to say something, but _he_ cut through her words. Well, that is quite a weird way to ask someone for a dance, isn't it?

"Luna, what are you…"

Ginny never finished her sentence. She followed my gaze once more and I could see her disbelief. Well, I did tell her.

"Is that..."

I turned back to the couple once more, and I saw Draco say something. He seemed angry. And then he turned his back on her and walked away. That looks bad, doesn't it?

Ooh, but I bet Hermione will follow him. She looks like it. And there she goes. She had to run a bit, Draco had gone quite far. He must have made some large strides.

I saw Hermione touch his shoulder, but she took her hand back almost instantly. It did stop Draco though. He turned to face her. She looked down at her feet. She must be apologizing.

I could not help but smile when I saw them both walk back to the dance floor before he took her hand. He looks a little stiff, he must be nervous. That's new, isn't it?

"…Hermione and Malfoy?" Ginny whispered beside me. I turned to look at her and saw that she was very surprised. Well, I did warn her.

I think I will go look for Dean myself now.

"A lot of people didn't use to believe in nargles."


End file.
